GEK Wiki / v3 Gas Cowling and Rotary Grate
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v3 Gas Cowling and Rotary Grate

Page history last edited by abram 14 years ago

1) Building the Gas Cowling and Rotary Ash Grate for GEK v3.0

 

back to Fabrication Instructions for v3.0 kit

 

    

 

Parts needed for Gas Cowling:

     - Gas cowling vessel tube

     - Bottom end ring- 14 3/4" diameter X 1 1/2" width

     - Bottom end plate- (not pictured)

     - Bottom end plate bushing (for ash grate handle)

     - Top flange ring- 17 diameter X 1 1/8" width

     - Gas outlet square tube to cyclone inlet

     - 1/2" close nipple

     - Cover plate for ash clean out port

     - 5/16 x 5/8 bolts for ash port (4 count)

     - 5/16 wing nuts for ash port (4 count)

     - "Rocket fin" legs (4 count)

     - 5/16 nuts for bottom end ring (10 count)

     - 3/8 bolts for leg attachment (8 count)

     - 3/8 nuts for leg attachment (8 count)

     - 1 1/2" female pipe coupler (cut in half)

 

   

 

Ash Grate parts:

     - Perforated steel disc

     - 1"x 10" black pipe nipple

     - 4 ct. 1/2"x 1/2"x 5.5" sq. tube supports

     - 2 ct. 1/2"x 1/2"x 2 7/8" sq. tube pieces

     - 1 ct. 1/2"x 1/2"x 4" sq. tube

Turning handle:

     - 1" cap

     - 1 ct. 1/2"x 1/2"x 9.5" solid rod for turning handle

 


Building the Gas Cowling

 

1. Insert 3/8" leg attachment bolts through boltholes in cowling and weld them in place

  • Fit bolts through holes, screw down 3/8 nuts on outside of cowling
  • Tack weld inside the cowling, and make a full weld around the nut on the outside

 

 

2.  Weld (4) 5/16" bolts into ash port holes in bottom end plate. (Pictures coming soon!)

  • Bolts should extend downwards towards slag side
  • Completely weld bolt head to bottom so that it is gas tight
  • Temp install ash port plate with wingnuts. You will need to add gasket material later. Clean up holes in ash port with 11/32" drill if necessary
  • Weld included tubing EXACTLY over hole in center and EXACTLY 90 degrees to the plate- alignment is very important. The ash grate handle will protrude downwards through this tube, and the tolerances are VERY tight. Precision is required to allow the handle and grate to turn properly inside the cowling without binding up.

 

3. Weld (10) 5/16 nuts to bottom end ring, then tack ring into vessel tube 

  • Affix nuts to ring with 5/16 bolts
  • Weld nuts all the way around, then remove bolts
  • It is wise to clamp the ring down to prevent heat warpage. Also, alternating your welds across the ring is suggested to distribute the welding heat evenly
  • Clamp bottom end ring into bottom of vessel cylinder or press together in sections and tack. Nuts need to be inside the cowling. Progress around the bottom seam in one direction, making sure the vessel tube is tight onto the end ring.

 

    

 

 

 

4. Tack top flange ring onto vessel tube.

  • No special orientation.  Use any tab and slot position.  Slag side should be down.  Flange ring should be flush with top of vessel tube.
  • Clamp top flange ring into top of vessel tube and tack into place.  ONLY tack/weld on the bottom side of the flange.  If you have enough clamps, do the entire ring.  If you do not have enough clamps, work in one direction, making sure the vessel is tight out to the flange.

 

 

5. Tack side seam

  • Tack down side seam of vessel.  You may need to squeeze the vessel to get the seam parallel, making sure overlap stays consistent. You can use a tiedown strap, rope, or just push it down onto the table to get the seam together and parallel.

 

 

6. Assemble gas outlet and tack onto vessel tube

  • Weld flange into end of 2" square tube.  Flange is symmetrical so no special orientation.  But make sure the tube is flush with the flange plate
  • Weld half of a 1/2" coupling over the hole in the side of the square tube.  This is to create a measurement bung.  Make sure the weld is fully sealed.
  • Tack square tube assembly onto gas cowling.  Make sure the flange is well aligned with the gas cowling.  Misalignment will cause the cyclone to be cockeyed when fully assembled.
  • Clean up flange holes with a 11/32" drill 

 

     

 

7. Weld 1 1/2" coupler (cut in half) and 1/2" close nipple into corresponding holes on cowling

  • Make full welds all the way around
  • Keep 1/2" nipple at 90 degrees to cowling

 

    

 

8. Fully weld all tacked joints

  • Stitch weld in short sections to prevent warpage.  But make sure to fully seal all joints
  • Weld ONLY on the underside of the flange ring.  No welding on the top joint side of the flange
  • Be careful to not warp the top flange when welding the gas outlet into place
  • Grind top surface of flange flat after welding
  • Clean up flange holes with a 11/32" drill

 

 

9. Attach rocket fin legs

  • Fit over bolts and tighten down with 3/8" nuts

 

     

 

Building the Rotary Ash Grate For GEK v3.0

 

 

 1. Clamp perforated disc with a consistent 1/2" cavity beneath it, insert 1"x10" pipe in center hole

  •  The 1/2" cavity allows the center pipe to protrude through the disc to its proper place. Placing several scrap pieces of 1/2"x 1/2" square tube, plywood or other similar material under the disc can make a good support for this part of the process. Make sure the disc is amply supported such that it stays flat when clamped and welded. Its hard to see in the photos, but that is what we are doing under the disc.
  • Array and clamp the 5.5" long square tube supports in a cross formation, each tube at a 90 degree offset from the last, with each meeting and touching the center pipe
  • Align the center pipe such that it stands perfectly plumb
  • Tack parts in place. DO NOT tack the top of the joint where the square tube pieces touch the pipe. This small area needs to remain unwelded to allow a tight fit between the ash grate assembly and its through hole in the bottom of the gas cowling

 

 

 

 

2. Weld parts. Very little is needed, see photo

  • Make sure to keep center pipe perfectly plumb, as it will want to wander around from the weld heat. Bend it back to true and keep checking its alignment with a square as you weld it
  • APL's R & D team has decided it would actually be best to add one more weld at the midpoint of these struts in addition to the two welds per side shown in the photo

 

 

3. Construct sweep arm, weld to support as shown

  • the side struts are 2 7/8" long, the cross piece is the 4"

 

   

 

4. Weld turning handle to cap

 

 

 

 

back to Fabrication Instructions for v3.0 kit

 

 

 

 

 

 

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